Road closures ahead for Garden Hills Project as it enters phase three

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — Sections of Paula Drive will be fully closed beginning July 2.

The City of Champaign said the intersection of Paula Drive and Garden Hills Drive through the intersection of Paula Drive and Joanne Lane will be closed off to traffic.

Joanne Lane will be open to local traffic and can be accessed from the south. Garden Hills Drive will also be open to local traffic with access from Burnetta Street.

The closures are part of the Garden Hills Revitalization Project, nearly a decade after a drainage study was conducted in 2016. The study found that the storm pipes were too small and the emergency overland path was inadequate.

The first phase—which cost nearly $5 million—purchased 26 properties on Hedge Road to prep for construction of the new detention basin and connect the storm sewer system.

Phase two started in November 2023, with construction of the detention basin. It will feature walk paths, lighting, benches, and landscape features. Costs were estimated at almost $40 million.

They started initial construction for phase 3 at the beginning of May. It will bring the installation of larger storm sewers, the primary storm sewer system for the watershed. The pipes will transport storm water from from the watershed to the improved detention basin. This phase is estimated to cost $19 million.

The closures along Paula Drive are expected to last six to eight weeks.